Great Siege of Scarborough Castle

Great Siege of Scarborough Castle
Part of the First English Civil War

Remains of Scarborough Castle
Date18 February - 25 July 1645
Location
Result Parliamentarian victory
Belligerents
Royalists Parliamentarians
Commanders and leaders
Sir Hugh Cholmley
William Nesfield
John Meldrum (DOW)
Sir Matthew Boynton
Strength
500 1700
Casualties and losses
c.475 killed or wounded Unknown

The Great Siege of Scarborough Castle[a] was a major conflict for control of one of England's most important stone fortresses during the First English Civil War fought between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists loyal to King Charles I. In February 1645, Parliamentarians laid siege to Scarborough Castle. For five months, they bombarded it, destroying most of the keep, and engaged in bloody fighting before the defenders finally surrendered.

This was a significant though not permanent victory. There was a second, far less bloody and destructive, siege later in 1648 when the new garrison switched sides. The castle finally came under Parliamentarian control in 1649, and remained so until the Restoration (1660). (The castle actually changed hands seven times between 1642 and 1648.[1])


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  1. ^ Binns 1996, pp. 73–220